The present invention relates generally to improvements in faucet valves of the kind in which a separate valve assembly is provided for the hot water supply and for the cold water supply. The present invention more particulary relates to valve assemblies wherein a first valve member is rotated relative to a valve body or relative to a second valve member associated with the valve body and wherein there is no compression or distortion of the valve member during normal operation.
Several valve assemblies have been described in the past, both for faucets and for general utility applications, wherein both the valve seat and the valve member are made from a long wearing ceramic material that has been lapped and honed to provide extremely flat valving surfaces that can slide against one another to selectively seal liquid under pressure. In such valve assemblies, the valve seat can often be thought of as a second valve member since its function differs only slightly from the first valve member, one member being stationary and the other member being selectively movable. A recurring difficulty with these valve assemblies is that abrasive particles may become trapped between the interacting surfaces of the valve members and score one at both of the surfaces. This scoring can eventually lead to leakage between the valve members. The present invention provides a valve assembly of this type with a reduced tendency to leak.
An example of a valve of the prior art to which the improvements of the present invention are applicable is disclosed in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,645,495, issued Feb. 29, 1972, hereinafter "Manoogian et al". The type of valve disclosed therein has been manufactured for several years and currently exists in numerous installations. The type of valve disclosed therein, as modified according to the present invention, comprises the best mode contemplated by the inventor at the time of filing the present application for carrying out the invention. This valve, as so modified, is therefore illustrated in the attached drawing and is described below as the preferred embodiment.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic valve assembly that has a reduced tendency to trap abrasive particles for extended periods of time, and thereby, has a reduced tendency to leak.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic valve assembly where the ceramic elements are inexpensive to manufacture and easy to replace.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic valve assembly that may be used as an upgrading subassembly for faucets of the type disclosed in Manoogian et al.